Why is mic mic not working on Discord?

Answered by Phillip Nicastro

The microphone not working on Discord can be a frustrating issue to deal with. There could be several reasons behind this problem, but one common cause is a change in the permissions policy granted to applications on Windows. Microsoft periodically updates its privacy settings, and these updates can sometimes disable microphone access for certain applications, including Discord.

To check if your microphone access is disabled due to a Windows update, you can follow these steps:

1. Open the Windows Privacy Settings by clicking on the Start button and selecting the gear icon for Settings.
2. In the Settings window, click on the “Privacy” option.
3. On the left side of the Privacy settings, click on “Microphone.”
4. Ensure that the “Allow apps to access your microphone” toggle switch is turned on. If it is turned off, you can toggle it on to enable microphone access.

Once you have enabled microphone access for apps, including Discord, it should resolve the issue of the mic not working. However, if the problem persists, there might be other factors contributing to the problem.

Here are a few additional troubleshooting steps you can try:

1. Check Discord’s settings: Open Discord and go to the User Settings by clicking on the gear icon next to your username. Under the “App Settings” section, select “Voice & Video.” Ensure that the correct microphone is selected from the drop-down menu under the “Input Device” section.

2. Test your microphone: You can use the Windows built-in microphone test or try using other applications (such as voice recording apps) to check if the microphone is working properly. If it doesn’t work in other applications as well, it might indicate a hardware issue with the microphone itself.

3. Check microphone permissions within Discord: In Discord, make sure the microphone permissions are enabled specifically for the server or channel you are using. Discord allows users to individually manage permissions for each server or channel, so double-check that the microphone permissions are not restricted.

4. Update audio drivers: Outdated or incompatible audio drivers can cause microphone issues. Visit the manufacturer’s website for your audio device and download the latest drivers. Install them and restart your computer to see if it resolves the problem.

5. Reinstall Discord: If none of the above steps work, you can try reinstalling Discord. Uninstall it from your computer, download the latest version from the official Discord website, and then install it again.

6. Contact Discord support: If the issue still persists after trying all these steps, it may be worth reaching out to Discord’s support team. They can provide further assistance and troubleshoot the problem in more detail.

Remember that these steps are general troubleshooting tips, and the exact solution may vary depending on your specific system configuration. It’s always a good idea to consult official documentation or seek help from the support team of the respective application if you encounter any difficulties.

I hope these suggestions help in resolving the microphone issue on Discord!